“NASI Ayam Kim Kee is not at fault. It’s our wish to frequent a Chinese eatery. Halal and haram are not part of their business affair”.
Such is a short Facebook jibe by entrepreneur Mazlina Kamarudin who is the managing director of Bismi Empire Sdn Bhd, a Bumiputera-owned parent company in the end-to-end halal-certified poultry business.
This is especially so as the popular chicken rice joint among Muslim foodies since 1986 has never claimed to be halal-certified by JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) in the first place.
Mazlina who boasts 30 years of experience in broiler chicken industry was commenting on the brouhaha over the halal status of Kim Kee Nasi Ayam Hailam in Ampang which is renowned for its purportedly Hainanese-style poached and roasted chicken, highly flavourful chicken-infused rice and signature tangy chili sauce.
For context, the cyberspace was abuzz with the halal stature of the chicken rice joint after online halal advocate Halal inquiry Company direktori [sic] called on its fanbase “to stop eating at KIM KEE NASI AYAM HAILAM” via a Facebook post on June 9.
The advocate subsequently cast awareness on the apparent “risks” of dining at non-Muslim-owned chicken rice eateries given the birds might not have been slaughtered according to the prescribed Islamic way.
This was followed by its self-styled ‘investigating journalism’ of tracking the chicken supplier at “4am when people are still deep in their slumber” to ‘stalking’ the restaurant to reveal that it is “full pack Muslim 90% [sic]“.
After casting doubts over food review by Muslim foodies and a series of other online awareness with the state of its chicken, Halal Inquiry eventually concluded that “Kim Kee Nasi Ayam Hailam has been doing business without forcing Muslims to eat since 1986”.
“But what to do? The rice has become porridge (Malay proverb),” lamented the halal advocate.
Whatever the case is, Halal Inquiry’s extensive probing did elicit response from Kim Kee Nasi Ayam Hailam which claimed that the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has inspected its premises on June 11 following the viral status of its premises.
“Based on JAIS’ review and verification, the main chicken supplier to our restaurant is halal-certified and possesses valid slaughtering license,” it pointed out in an official statement.
“As an added measure to provide confidence and calmness to our customers, we’re in the midst of applying for the Malaysian Halal Certification (SPHM).”
As comparison, Halal inquiry also featured Nasi Ayam Hainan Chee Meng in Old Klang Road which possesses halal certification till October this year.
Interestingly, it also highlighted Melawati Nasi Ayam Hainan Singapura which is “100% Muslim-owned” but “without halal certification record”.
But there are little fuss here as Muslim foodies are confident that “the Muslim owner will hire Muslim staff and the premises is clean (accorded Grade A Food Premises Hygiene Rating Certificate” and more so, “Muslim traders must use halal ingredients with their chicken slaughtered according to the Islamic way”.
Well, the moral of the story may well be “just don’t eat if you are dubious for nobody is forcing you to eat Kim Kee Nasi Ayam Hailam” or simply, “eat at your own peril”.
After all, tudung-clad women staff are no yardstick to a food establishment’s halal status nor a deceptive antic to lure Muslim diners but probably just a tell-tale sign to non-Muslims alike that the eatery is “pork, lard (and probably) alcohol-free”. – June 15, 2026
